Snapchat has had its fair share of questionable filters before — think yellow face, black face, and more — and its latest adds to the list. Meet the “Crooked Hillary” filter from Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. The reality television star turned politician has long been known for his shameless use of social media — though much of his digital presence has been relegated to Twitter — and now, he is taking things a step further. As originally reported by the Independent Journal Review, the Trump campaign “purchased the national Snapchat geofilter ahead of Monday’s debate,” and represents “the first purchase of its kind by a presidential campaign.” You cannot say this is not a historical race.
Only one advertiser per day is able to purchase this national geofilter advertisement, and on Monday, the buyer is the Donald. The geofilter, the Review reports, “will preview the debate as ‘Donald J. Trump vs Crooked Hillary,’ in addition to being adorned with Trump’s slogan, ‘Make America Great Again.'”
While Snapchat may be one of the most popular social media apps around these days — particularly among millennials, a key demographic in this year’s election — the filter may not have its intended effect on its user base. Eric Schiffer, the CEO of The Patriarch Organization and Chairman of DigitalMarketing.com, told Digital Trends Trump’s filter will not be taken seriously by young voters.
“Many Millennials say Trump’s Snapchat filter is a lowbrow meathead digital attempt to maim Clinton and not something a JFK, Ronald Reagan, or Lincoln would do if they were alive campaigning today,” Schiffer wrote via email. “To Millennial Snapchatters, it’s like a friend’s racist grandpa trying to be cool but instead looking like an epic scale buffoon. The only people influenced by Trump’s Snapchat filter are his voters who don’t see him as a threat to the survival of the republic.”
All the same, if you are looking to set up a viewing party for Monday night’s debate, this Snapchat filter may just be the perfect start to an invitation.
